Gurpa: The mountain where
Mahakassapa waits for
Maitreya

When
Maha Kassapa, the Buddha's
successor, realised that
his life was drawing to
a close he set out for
Kukkutapadagiri, his favourite
mountain resort. When
his progress to the peak
was hindered by rocks
he struck them with his
staff and they opened
to let him through. On
arriving at the summit
a cavity opened in the
rocks, he entered, fell
into a deep meditative
trance and the rocks closed
around him.

Legend says that in the
distance future when Maitreya
appears in the world he
will come to Kukkitapadagiri,
awaken Maha Kassapa, receive
the Buddha's robe from
him and then begin to
announce the new dispensation.
This sacred mountain is
now called Gurpa. When
you arrive at the village
of Gurpa, cross the railway
line and take one of the
paths that lead to the
mountain. From its foot
a rough and rather steep
path leads up. This path
will eventually stop at
the base of a sheer cliff
which has a huge narrow
crack in it. Enter this
crack and proceed upwards.
Don't forget to bring
a torch, you'll need it.
After emerging from the
dark into the open again
keep climbing and soon
you will come to another
cave.

This may be the place
where Asanga spent many
years meditating. Leaving
this cave and continuing
to climb you will soon
arrive at the summit where
their there are several
Hindu shrines and a few
Buddhist antiquities.
The view from the top
is breathtaking and the
whole place is very conducive
to meditation. This is
a wonderful place to read
and reflect on Maha Kassapa's
beautiful and evocative
'Ode to the Mountains'
from the Theragatha. A
translation can be found
in K R Norman's Elder's
Verses published by the
Pali Text Society. For
more details about Gurpa
and its history you can
also read my 'Where Maha
Kassapa Waits' in The
Middle Way, London, February
1998. To get to Gurpa
take the Fatipur road
from Gaya via Fatipur
to Gurpa, a distance of
about 33 kilometres over
fairly good roads. It
will be a long days journey
from Bodh Gaya so leave
early.